Separator loading machine



SEPARATOR LOADING MACHINE Filed June 30, 1942' 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 l Is4. L

.248 3 d? zaa 1 24; it

an 1: f 3 f 20s 4 ,E"

22 2367 FIG. 1 69 k INVENTOR; 93 9 JOHN 5.6 RDEN.

HIS ATjORNEY.

Feb. 25, 1947. l J. 5. GARDEN 2,416,578

SEPARATOR LOADING MACHINE INVENTOR JOHN s. GARDEN.

av @zM I HISA TORNEY;

Feb. 25, 1947. V J. s. GARDEN I SEPARATOR LOADING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet3 Filed June 30, 1942 8 a 4 a 3 Hum INVENTOR;

JOHN S. GARDEN. BY

HIS A TORNEY.

Feb. 25, 1947. J. 5. GARDEN SEPARATOR LOADING MACHINE FilgdJune 30, 19424 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR; JOHN S. GARDEN; ax

ms ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 25, 1947 UN IT ED STATES OFEF IICZE SEPARATOR LOADIN G-John's. Garden, Basking Ridge, N. -J.,"ass'ignor to General Motors"Corporation Detroit, Mich., :a'corporation o'fDelaware I IApplication'sunes'o, 1942,"sentinel-449181 f I '4 Claims. (01. 29-201) 1'This invention relates to separator loading machines and comprises allof the features of novelty herein disclosed.

An'object is to provide an improved mechanism for loading anantifriction bearing separator or the like with rotatable bearingelements. Another object is to providean improved mechanism for rapidlyfilling .a bearing separator or cage with rollingelements and forsecuring theserrolling elements inunit-handlin'g relation with thebearing cage. A further object is to provide a loading mechanism forsimultaneously producing variousoperations upon a plurality ofantiiriction bearing cages at :successive work stations, and whichsequentiallyrloads each cage with rolling elements, secures theseelements in cage-assem bled relation and thereafter dischargeseachaasembly of cage and rolling elements. I

To these ends and also to improve generally upon devices ofthexcharacter indicated,.the invention consists of the various mattershereinafter described and claimed. Inits ibroader aspects, theinventioniis not necessarily limited to the'specific constructionselected for illustrative purposes in the accompanying drawings in whichFigure l is a fragmentary view taken generally in vertical section alongthe lines 1-! of Figure '8 and showing the mechanism which secures therollingelernents within the cage;

Figure 2 is *a fragmentary perspective view of the lifting mechanismforthe cage supporting nest;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in vertical section taken along thelines. 3-3 of 'Figure 8 and which illustrates the cage loadingmechanismand the turntable indexing control;

Figures 4 and '5 show the successive positions of the latch mechanismwhich withdraws 'and'releases the indexing plunger;

Figure -6 is a fragmentary elevation orthe-indexing plunger andassociated parts taken substantially along the line-66 of Figure 3;

Figure-7 is a perspectiveview of the indexing latch and its mounting; V1

Figure 8 is a plan view of my invention; I

Figure 9 is a-vertical fragmentary section showing a cage nest and itsassociated parts;

Figure 10 is a perspective view-of the cage bending member;

"Figure '11 is a fragmentary perspective "view:

generally in vertical sectionan'd showing-the cage loading mechanism;

"Figure l3'isa vertical section taken along' the' lines 13-1 3"of Figure12;and

Figure '14 is a diagrammatic showing of the electrical circuit and partsoperated thereby.

Generally stated, this invention "comprises a rotatably driven turntableor carrier 10 that-carries four annularly and uniformly-spaced'cluplicate-work'supports l lyeachof which has a work' nest adapted-toremovably receive an antifriction bearing separator-or'cage S. --Afoottreadle -12 is operated to :index 'thi's'turntable it "throughconsecutive 'quarter turns "so that each work nest is "intermittentlyadvanced to the four successive stations designated "at 'A, B, "C and'13. 'Each' time that'a fWGIk support H reaches the stationn, theoperator places arr'empty "cage s in the cagereceivingnest in'the topof-this work-support. At theend'ofthehext indexing operation and "whilethe' operator isfplacing anothercage 'inthe previous work nest at"station A, a fee'dingmechanism automatically "inserts rolling,elemental-4 inca ge'ape'rtures f6 of the "cage -S" at "station Uponcompletion of the followingindexin operation of "the rollerfilled cage:Stostation "C and while "the operator is "placing another e'age in thenest at'station Aand while'the cage at station extendirrg'upwardlyioetween the rollers I4 'from aninwa r,d1y curled annular base flangeI8, are a ing 'the following indexing operation and while'the'roller-and cage assembly is being transported from vstation Ctowards {station D, mechanism jects'this assembly from the machine. V*In'theillustrated-embodiment "a "base plate "20, ap'ertured at *2 I toreceive a turntable supporting and rotating mechanism, is mounted on asuitably ffixedloerl 2-2, :and' an annular casing :23, secured'as byscrews 'to the underside of the base plateYll ar-ound'theaperture 21,extends downwardl-y through a bore 24 in the bed '22. A base ring25,-fa'stened to the "bottom of 1 the casing 23 as byscrewsandaflocating pin, 'hasJa central bore which 'idemountablyreceivesthe reduced lower end of" an upwardly exte'nding'bn-rarin'g housing "26that has I a lower flange 21"s'eated-0nfthis base ring "centrally withinthe casing 23 and "seis :rotatably supported jby antifriction bearings'3! :and' '32respectivelyj mounted 'inthe lupperland Figure 12 1s afragmentary perspective views showing the "rollers mounted'inthe' cage;

lower "ends of the housing 5'26. "The, upper bea'ring'3 Ihasan'outerracering'seated on a shoulder at the bottom of a housingcounterbore 33 and demountably secured' in position by a collar 34fastened as by screws to the top of the housing 25. The outer race ringof the lower antifriction bearing 32 is slidably received in a lowerhousing counterbore 35.," Asleeve 36axially spaces the flange 18 by aflat annular seat 56 on a plunger l head 51 that is vertically slidablein the cupshaped member 43, and this cage S is radially located by thecage locating portions 54 which ring of the upper bearing'3l tovertically support the shaft 30. A nut dihthreaded on acshaft reductionbeneath the intermediate shaft portion 31, holds a lock washer 4!against the inner race; ring of the lower bearing 32 t0 demountably se-;

cure the shaft 36 within its bearings, and a dust cap 42 isdetachablyfastened to the underside of the base ring in closelysurrounding relation to the shaft 39 beneath the nut 40. The

' turntable Ii which is centrally bored to fit over a reduced upper end43 of the shaft 36, is demountably fastened as by screws 44 upon theshaft flange 38, and thisturntable, which overlaps the base plateaperture 2 i, is preferably supported slightly above the base plate 20and the collar 3t. A loading cam 45, fitted over the: upper shaftreduction 43, is secured to the turntable It] by screws 46. This cam isarranged to. operate the cage loading mechanism at station B so that anempty cage Swill be filled with rolling elements M in a manner to belater described.-

The turntable to has four uniformly spaced bores d7 each ofwhichdemountably receives one of the'duplicate work supports I I. Thesebores 4?, which have counterbored upper ends, correspond in number andin relative annular spacing to the fourstations A, B, C and D, and aturntable indexing mechanism (to be later described) is so arranged thateach timethe foot treadle I Zis depressed, the turntable will advanceonequarter turn and ,shift' each work support from one workstation tothe-nextwork station. Each 1 v work support II includes a generallycup-shaped "member it depending through one of the bores 51 andsupported flush with the top face of the i turntable It by means of anannular flange 49 secured as by screws in the counterbored upper endofthe bore l and angularly located as by a i 7 pin 59. As bestillu'strated ingFiguresB and ;9, a generally frusto-conical worknest 52,formed in the top of each member 48, has a peripheral wall containing aseries of annularly spacedpockets 53 which alternate withspaced cagelocating portions 54, these pockets '53' and cage locating I portions 54being contoured to matingly receive 1 and support a cage S filled withthe correctly positioned rolling elements which in the present injstance are illustrated as the barrel shaped rollers l4. I V V In thepresent showing, mycage SKFigures 12 and 13) comprises an annularlongitudinally 1 rounded body 55 having a generally frusto-coni-' I calform and provided with the uniformly spaced preferably conform to thecurvature of the body 55 Each empty cage S placed in the nest 52 atstation A, is rotatably located by a plunger to radially align the cageopenings It with the pockets 53 so that at station 3 the rollers It maybe dropped into these cage openings It as will be later described. Eachplunger 60 is longitudinal- .ly slidable in a turntable slot ti and in acooperating slot 52 radially extending through the flange 49 into one ofthe pockets 53, and a plunger spring 53 urges the plunger against ashoulder in the flange tdso that a locating tongue 64 on'the head 'ofthis plunger will partially project into the nest 52 through this pocket53 and slidably interflt within one of the cage apertures I 6 asillustratedin Figs. 8 and 9. A cover plate 65 is demountably fastened inposition with its top face in the plane of the top of the turntable and7 overlying the slot 6!, and the spring 63 is made sufficientlyyieldable' so that the tongue 64 will i be pressed out of cageengagement whenever a roller i3 is dropped into this cage opening duringthe cage loading operation at station E.

Each-cage-supporting plunger head 5! is vertically slidable in acounterbo-refifi that extends downwardly from the bottom of the worknest '52, and a plunger stem 67, projecting coaxially downwardly fromthis head 5?, is vertically slidable Y over the lower end of the plungerstem 61, and aclevis it formed on the lower end of this sleeve portionis secured to the stem 67 by a cross pin Tl.- Acam roller ldrotatable ona stud 8|] mounted in the depending clevis arms, is engageable withan'arcuate cam shoe 8! fastened on the base ring 25 as by screws andthis roller is prevented from turning about a Vertical axis out ofarcuate cam alignment by a clevis arm projection 82 which may verticallyslide in a slot 83 in the bottom of the plunger guide 55 asshown inFigure 2. A coiled spring 84in the counterbore- 14 is longitudinallycompressed between the top of this counterbore M andthe top of thesleeve 7 guide 69 and the cam roller 78 lies in a positionroller-receiving apertures It which are of such a 1 size and shape as toloosely receive the barrel shaped rollers l4 and prevent them from com-vpletely passing therethrough. The lower end of 1 this body 55 is bent toprovide the inwardly curled annular base flange l8 from which projectthe upwardly directed roller-retaining fingers I! that initially extendangularly'away from the body 55 1 (Figs 13) and-in substantial,fadial'alignme'nt j with the body portions ofthe cage betweenthe jopenings-i6." When a cages is placed in'the j nest 52 at station A, itis supportedon'its baseancefor the lower end of a tapered fluted por-'to engage the cam BI. As shown in Fig. 8, the cam shoe 8! is short andengages the roller 18 between the stations C and D to lift the plungerhead 5121s each work support ll approaches the station D. v

Theupper end of each plunger head 51 has a dishedcavit y 85 (Figure 9)which provides cleartion 86 on a cage deforming member or plunger- 81employed at station 0 to bend the cage fingers Il to the roller-securingpositions Hafand a counterbore 83, extending downwardly fromthe cavity85, is arranged to slidably receive and guide the n'eck'ed lower end 89of the plunger. LA bore emp re 50 extends downwardly in the stem '6 Ifromth'e counterbore 88, and a hole through the side "wall wheel 9|keyed to the reduced lower end 'of'theshaft 38 and held against a shaftshoulder -by a screw 52.

belt (not shown), and'this drivingwheel hasza hand' gripping rim from"which extend spokes 94 to facilitate manual positioningof the turntableII! when desired. An indexing ring 95, seated on a stepped driving wheelflange, is demountably fastened to this driving wheel by screws and*angularly positioned by alpin 93.

The cylindrical periphery of the indexing ring s 95 is interrupted byfour uniformly spaced notches 91 each of which has a'radially disposedend wall I I12. A bracket IE3, secured to the underside of the base ring25, slidably receives an indexing plunger H15 that is provided with-ahead I06 which extends out of a bracket slotlfiland a coiled springI88 within a bracket recess urges thishead towards the indexing ring 95.-A nose III on the head I06 has'a flat face HI thatis successivelyengaged by theseend walls I02 to stop each indexing operation.

The outer end of the bracket Ifl3 has a pair of spaced downwardlyprojecting arms H2 between whose lower ends is pivotally supported abell crank lever I I3 upon a cross pin I I4mou'nted in these arms.An'outwardly extendingarm II5 of this bell crank is 'pivotallyconnectedat its outer end to'the upper end of'a longitudinally adjustable link lifi that has its lower endpivotallyeonnected -to-the toot tread'le I2which is pivotally supported by a pin I I1 mounted in a fixed supportingbracket IIB as shown 'in Figure 3. As best illustrated in Figures 3 and'7 a yoke portion I20 projects upwardly --from the inner end of the bellcrank lever H3 and between the depending arms H2, and'a latch Im'einberI2I, in the general form of a bell crank, ispiVotally supported withinthe upper end of this yoke portion I29 by a cross pin I22. An upwardlyextending finger I23 of the latch-member-I2I has its upperendcperatively engageable with a collar I24 secured by nuts to the reducedrearward end oftheindexing plunger I95, and a coiledspring I 26,-seatedwithin a recess in-the bell crank lever I I 3, resiliently engagestheu'ndersi'de ofthefing'er I 23 and tends to normally turn the latchmember I2I counterclockwise about the pin I22 to a pesition wherein-adepending latch-arm IZ'Iabuts against an end shoulder I28 on the bellcrank lever II 3. Acoiled spring I31] tensioned between a stop pin 'I3I,mounted in the arms H2,-

and a clamp adjustably secured to the link H5, yieldably urges thefoot'treadle I2 and its-"associated parts upwardly to theirinitialoperative positions of Figure 3.

To index the turntable I througha quarter turn so that each work supportII will be simultaneouslytransferred to the next workstation, theoperator depresses'the foot "treadle I2 causinga clockwise swingingmovement of the latch I2I from the position of Figured-through-theposition of Figure 4 to the position ,ofiFigure During this movement,the finger I 23' first engages and shift the-collar a I24 rearwardly tothe; po-

A =V-shap'ed pulley groove '93 i n the driving wheel receives a suitabledriving u're5. At this time, the latch I2I is restrained from 'pivotalmovement on its supported'pin I22 5, by the abutting engagement of thedepending arm I2I 'againstthe shoulder I228. The outward movement of thecollar I24 to the position 'of Figure 4 withdraws theindexingheadftflfirfromengagement with one of the end walls I52, andithebelt within the pulley 'groovee't impartsla slow counterclockwiserotation to the drivingwheel 19I which acts through the driving shaft'30 to 'turn the turntable IOand slowly advance eaehcwork holder -"I I"towards the: next work station. After the "finger I23 snaps past thecollar I24; the coiled spring Ik'idurges the plungernose'Illl intoperipheral engagement with the in'dexing ring' 95 which continues toturn until the succeeding end wall I02 of the next notch sl abutsagainst the plunger face III which stops'the turntable rotation witheach of the work "neststz located at the "next workstation. While theturntable I0 is secured at each indexed position, the drivin'g'beltmay'slip within the pulley groove 93, or if preferred, slippage 'mayoccur in a suitabledriving clut'ch mechanism "not shown. "To furtherassist in holding the-turntable in each of its indexed positions,each-notch el may also be slightly recessed at the" inner radial bend ofeach endwall I02 toreceive the point or thenose IIIl' -asbest'illustrated in Fi'gure 6. During the returnof the treadleIZ'anidithe associated-parts to their initial-positions of Figure Bunder"influence of the spring 1 BIL-a sloping portion 129 of the finger I 23engages a bevelled annular portion I32 of thecollar I 24 and causes thel atch I2! to pivot'clockwiseon its cross pin I22 so that this fingerwill snap past' the collar I24 to its initial operative positionillustrated in-Figure 3.

Therolling elements i4 are fedfromasuitablehopperv (not shown) to thecage loading-stationB in end to: end relation down a pairxof spaced feedtubes I49 whose lower ends are mounted i in adaptersleeves MI that arede- 45 mountably fastened in the counterbored upper ends ofspacedfeedbores 42 wh ch vertically extend through a boss I43 on the stepped innerendof a teed tube support-Md. This feed tube support is mounted onaroller spacer 'Miiwhich is mounted on a'roller transfer support it onthe base plate'2Il', and these members I44, I45 and I46- are secured insuperimposed -relation on the base-plate 20by screws I41 and locatingpins;

T driven J belt I53 engages within a loading disc groove I5 l andcontinuously rotates this loading disc at a suitableslow rate ofspeedsuch as'ilo R.-P. M. 'llieroller 'spacer'me has a recess "I55beneaththe loading-disc 5fl -to' receive a roller transfer member I56which-isarcuately oscillated by theloading cam '45,andthe'rollertransfer support I45 -is prov-ided-Withe similarrecess-"I58through I which "theigcages'r S m'ay =be' successively carried Lby therotating turntable It in-closely spacedvrelationlto theunderiside of aihorizontally- 6 sition or Figure =4 and then snaps beneath :nnd 1pasttliis -collar to thedurther position zof-zFigures '3 and 11).

- following "low point. gages lone of the high points i I11,. the' bores-I 64' disposed lip I66 of theroller transfer support I46.- The rollertransfer member I56, which is supported-on the fiat upper face of thelip I66, has a downwardly projecting shaft portion I6IV journalled in avertical bore in the, lip I66 and axially coincident with thevertical'axisj of the cages located at station B. V

The loading disc I56, roller spacer I45, roller transfer member I56 andthe lip I66 are each provided with a circular series of roller-receivingbores vertically extending therethrough and respectively indicated atI62, I63, I64 and I6 5 (Figspondin number and in relative uniform spaceing to the roller-receiving cage apertures I6 of each cage S, and thepitch-circle of each series of bores has an axis common withthevei'tical axis of the cage S located at station B. The feed bores I42are spaced to simultaneously direct rolle ers I 4 from the feed tubesI46 into the loading disc bores I62 on opposite sides of the stud I5I;The thickness of the loading disc I56 is equivalent to twice the axiallength of one of the rollers I4 so that each bore I62 may receive tworollers in end to end relation with thetop end faces of the upperrollers lying substantially in the plane of the .top face of the loadingdisc; The thick. ness of the roller spacer I45 beneath the loading discis equivalent to the axial length of .a single roller I4 so that thebores I63 may each receive a single roller. The thickness of the rollertrans-i for member I56 is also equivalent to the axial length of asingle roller I4 so that the bores I64 may each receive a single roller.The bores I65 I I axially align respectively with'the cage apertures I6therebeneath at station 13, and the axes of the bores I63 arerespectively located intermediate of the axes of the corresponding boresI65; The roller transfer member I56 is arcuately; oscillated between twoextreme positions wherein the bores-I64 register in axial alignmentalternately with the bores 163 thereabove and then with the bores I65therebeneatnand an arcuate notch I61 in this roller transfer member thatreceives a stop pin I68," has an end wall I16 engageable with this stoppin to locate one of these extreme positions with the .bores I64 inregister with the bores I65 (Figure 8).

A coiled spring I1 I, tensioned between a laterally projecting studI12'in the roller transfer member I56 and a stud I13 in the member I45,urges this roller transfer, member counterclockwise so that a cam rollerI15, journalled on a vertical stud in a projecting, nose-portion of theroller transfer member, is

presented into engagement with the loading cam 45. Thi loading cam,which rotatably indexes in unison with the turntable I6 in acounterclockwise direction, has four uniformly spaced similar low points I16 thatrespectively correspond" to the positions of the fourrwork hosts 52 in;the I turntable, and these low pointsv are so radially spaced from theaxis of loadin carnrotation' that the spring I1I may locate the end wallI16 against the stop pin I68causing the bores I64 to register with thebores I65 each time that one of the low cam points I16 is positionedopposite the work station B as shown in" Figure :8. 1 The loading cam 45also has four high 'points I11; each being respectively adjacent to oneofthe low points in a direction clockwise on the loading cam asviewed'in Fig. 8, and the loading cam periphery gradually andarcuatelyfrecedes in a clockwise direction from each high point to the IWhen the cam roller'enf reglsterin axial alignment with the bores I66The bores of each series correthereabovei At station B, rollers I4 dropfrom the feed, tubes I46 into the slowly rotating loading disc I56andfill each of the bores I62 with two rollers, and these bores I62after a slight turning of the disc direct a single set of rollers I4into the bores I63 therebeneathr At the start of each indexing operationof the turntable I6, the cam roller I15 quickly rides from one of thelow points I16 onto one of the high points I11 and turns the rollertransfer member I56 clockwise to the position wherein the bores I64register with and receive a set of .rollers from the bores I63. At thistime, the rollers cannot feed downwardly from the, roller transfermember I56 since the bores I64 are out of register Withthe bores I65therebeneath. As the rollers l4 feed out of roller spacer bores I 63,rollers from the rotating loadingdisc I56 dropinto andagain fill thebores I63, and rollers drop from the feed tubes I-46 to again fill theloading disc bores I62. The receding contour of the slowly rotatingloading cam now causes a slow counterclockwise rotation of the rollertransfer member I56 that continues until the indexing mechanism stopsthe turntable with the empty cage S located at station B.

Coincident with the location of this cage at station B, the cam roller I15 reaches the lowcam point I16, and the bores I64 register with bores Icausing the rollers to drop from these bores I64 through the bores I65and-to simultaneously fill allof the cage apertures I6 therebeneath. Atthe next indexing operation, the same cycle of operations is repeatedwith respect to another empty cage S placed in the following work nest52 atjstation A, and the rotating turntable transports the now filledwork cage S from station B to station C where the cage fingers I 'I'arebent inwardly to the positions I1a (Figure 13) to loosely secure therollers in unit-handling relation the cage.

I8 I and I82 having feet which are secured as by screws to the verticalwall I84 of a bracket I85 that is rigidily mounted on the base'plate 26as by' screws and locating pins. A vertically slid able piston I88 inthis cylinder is fastened to the upper end of a piston rod I66 extendingthrough a stufi'ing box in the lower oylinder'head I82 and movable alongthe vertical axis'of the cage S at station-C. A reduced upper-stem I92of the plunger 81 is threaded within the lower end of the piston rod I66and secured in adjusted position by a lock nut I93 which also secures acollar' I 64in position on the lower end of the piston rod.

may be selectively closed to deliver current from r a supply lines 266and 261 to relays 26B and'269 to respectively shift these relays toclosed circuit positions, and when these switches '264'and 265 areopened, the respectiverelays again assume open circuit positions. Atransformer 2I6 has a primary winding connected to the supply lines 266and 261, and solenoids 2H and H2 are se-i lectively'energized by therespective closing of the relays268 and269 which connect the'trans with2 A reversing valve diagrammatically illustrated amer former s co daryWinding' t ese o i s through;lead wires2 j3 and 2'l4;

When theswitch 2041s closed, the energized solenoid 2H acts on the;piston: rod 2% and'shifts this piston rod-andthe pistons-t their fullline positionsZIlil, 2M and 202; At this-time, suitable fluid, whichinthe presentinstance may comprise air, is deliveredunder-pressure fromapump- (not shown) through a pipe 2I6 into the reversin valve chamberbetween the pistons 2i) and 2M from which the-fluidpressure is directedthrough a pipe 2I'I into the top of the cylinder above the piston I88causing a downwarmovementof the plunger 81 to produce the cagefingerbending operation hereinafter described. During the downwardmovement of the piston I88, fluid will exhaust from the bottom of thecylinder IBIibeneath the piston I88 out through a pipe2I8 into thereversing valve between thepistons 2M and 202 and thence out through anexhaust pipe 220.

When the switch 205 is closed, the energized solenoid 2I2 acts onthe-piston rod 203 and shifts the valve pistons to their reversedpositions of 200a, 201a, and 202a as indicated in dot and dash lines inFigure 14. At this time, fluid under pressure from the pipe 2I6, entersbetween the'piston positions 20 Ia and 292a and is directed out throughthe pipe 2 I 8 into the cylinder I81] beneath the piston I88 whichresults in lifting the plunger 81' out of and above the cages at stationC.

Fluid in the top of the cylinder IBO- above the piston I88 will nowexhaust through the pipe 2II into the reversing valve between the pistonpositions 200a and 20m and thence out through the exhaust pipe 220.

The switch 204 (Figure 3), which is secured to a bracket 223 on theunderside of the bed 22 and above the indexing collarv I24; has anoperating plunger 224 that rests on the inner end of a substantiallyhorizontally disposed lever 225 which is pivotedlat its outer end, onastud 226 mounted in a depending arm 221 of the bracket 223. A coiledspring, socketed-at its upper end in a pocket in this bracket,-yieldably urges the lever 225 downwardly against a stop pin 228 in thearm 221, andwhen the lever; 225 rests on this stop pin, the plunger, 224holds the switch 204 in open circuit position; An upstanding trigger230, pivoted on a transverse pin 23I in anilpwardly projecting portion232' of'the indexing collar I24; is yieldably urged; clockwise against astop pin 233 bya coiled spring 234. As shown in Figure 3;, the upper endof'tliis triggernormally projects slightly-above the lower end of adepending nose 235011 the end of the lever=-225 beneath, the plunger224. I

At the start of an indexing operation and while the indexing plunger andassociated parts are beingwithdrawn from the positions of Figure 3 totheir positions of Figure 4, the trigger 23E! abuts against thedepending nose 235 and is swung counter-clockwisebythis nose to-the dotand dash position of Figure 4, and during this movement the trigger 230snaps under and past the nose 235 to its original position against thepin 233. This trigger movement past the nose 235-, which occurs prior tothe time when the finger I23 snaps past the indexing collar I24, doesnotlift the: lever 225 to operate the switch 204. During the ensuingreturn movement of the indexing,

plunger I85 fromthe position of Figure 5to the position of Figure 3 andjust prior to the eneas ment ofthe. next not h wall 0 i h th Plun erad.N1 a opingportion of the r ger 230 cams againsta sloping portion 236oft-hedependingnos 235 and swings the, lever 225 upwardlyto move theplunger 224- upwardly andclose: the switch 204 which results in amovement of the reverse valve pistons to the full line positions ofFigure 14 with a consequent downward movement ofthe pl nger 81 to thecage finger'bending positionof Figure 1. Thefclosi'ng of the switch 204is so timed that theimmediately subsequent downward movement oftheplunger 81 into the cage S at station C occurs only after the turntableII] has been stoppedwith each work-nest 52 located at one of the workstations. The top of, the trigger 230 and the bottom of the dependingnose 235 are provided with flat faces of suflicient extent to hold theswitch 264 closedlong enough to-cause the solenoid 2 to completely shiftthe reverse valve pistons-from the position 200a, 201a, and 202a to thepositions 200, 20I and 202. When the indexing plunger Hi5 reaches itsinnermost positionoiFigure 3, the trigger 230 has passed by thedepending nose 235; and the lever 225 is again spring-pressed downwardlyonto the stop pin 228,

and the switch 2Mv has returned to open circuit position.

As the plunger B'I is moved downwardly into the roller-filled cage S atstation C (Figure 1) the necked lower end 89.01 this plunger is slidablyreceived in. andguided by the counterbore 88, and

gage the cage, fingers I1 and bend these fingers to the positions I'Ia(Figure 13-) to loosely secure the rollers I4.within-the cage. Thebottom position of this plunger. movement-is located by the engagementoft a plunger shoulder against a horizontal facein the: bottom of thework nest 52 as shown in Figure 1. A stud 238, secured at its inner endto the collar I94, laterally. projects through a vertical slot 239- inthe bracket wall I84 and prevents. turning of, the plunger 8'! which isclamped by the nut I93 in such angularly adjusted position that therflutes 8.6. radially align respectively with the fingers H of thecageSsuP- ported in the work nest at station- C. The cage S is rotatablypositioned by the interfitted relation of the rollers I4 in thenestpockets 53.

A cup-shaped pressure collar 24I has a.lower sleeve portion 242 slidablyfitted over the enlarged upper cylindricalend of the plunger 8-! and anupper end wall 243 centrally bored to slidably fit over the stem I92adjacent to the: crimping punch. A guide pin ring 244, threaded on thestem m2 and screwed. tightly against the nut I93, supportsin spacedrelation a plurality of depend- 5 mg guide pins 245whose lower ends areslidably received. in bores in the top of the pressure col lar 24!.Coiled springs 245 on the guide pins-245 and compressed between theguide pin ring 244 and the top of the pressure collar urge thispressurecollar downwardly towards; a position wherein the upper end wall 243rests on the top of the plunger 81 and the bottom oi the sleeve portion242 extends below the upper endof' the fluted portion 86.

During'the downward movement-ofthe plunger 81 into a roller-filled cageS at station C and'just prior to the cage finger bending action of. the

fluted: portion 88, the annularly bevelled lower end of thesleeveportion.242 engages and presses downwardly on the tops of the rollers I6 tosecure the roller-filled cage in properposition in the work nest 52.movement of the; plunger 8'I to the final position of Figure l, theplunger 81 slides; downwardly through the pressure; collar 24I; which isstill, held theflutes of the fluted portion 86 respectively en- In thecontinued downward 11 against the rollers l6 by the further compressedspringsZM. During the ensuing withdrawal of the plunger 81, the pressurecollar 24! continues to hold the roller-filled cage S in the work nestuntil the plunger 81 is withdrawn from wedged engagement against thecage fingers I! so that this withdrawal of the plunger 81 cannot removethe work cage and rollers from the work nest at station C. V

The switch 205 (Figure 1), that is secured to the bracket I85 and whichnormally assumes an open circuit position, has an operating plunger 241.Just prior to the completed downward movement ofthe plunger 81, a screw248, threadably adjusted in anangle arm 249 on the outer end of the stud238, presses the plunger 24'! to a switch closing position'whereupon thesolenoid 212' is energized and the reverse valve pistons are shifted totheir dot and dash positions of Figure 14 which results in' the upwardmovement of the piston 1188 to the top of the cylinder 180 and theconsequent withdrawal of the plunger 81 above the roller-filled cage atstation C. A guard 250,

mounted on the bracket I84, surrounds the plunger 81 and associatedparts in spaced relation and prevents the machine operator fromaccidental injury.

When the plunger 91 hasreturned upwardly out of operative position, theoperator again steps onthe foot treadle l2 and starts the turntable IDin another indexing operation. Shortly after the roller fille'd cageleaves station C, the roller 18 at the lower end of the work support IIengages the cam 8| andis moved upwardly to raise the plunger head 5'! toa position substantially in the plane of the top face of the turntablel0, and a battle 251, secured to the bed 20 and angularly overlying theturntable in spaced relation, is now engaged by the advancing roller andcage assembly and causes this assemblyto be swept off of theturntableinto a chute 252 which directs the roller-filled cage assemblyinto a suitable bin.

sll la z 1; In, combination with a rotatable turntable, for carrying acage to and from a loading station, a loading mechanismat saidstationfor inserting rolling elements in annularly spaced openings insaid cage. and comprising a roller-receiving member and a rollerspacer'and a roller transfer support mounted in superimposed relationabove said turntable, a rotatable loading disc between therollerereceiving member and said roller spacer, .a roller. transfermember pivotally mounted between said roller spacer and said rollertransfer support, said superimposed members and the loading disc and theroller transfer member having 7 co-operating roller-receiving throughbores, means for delivering rolling elements to said roller-receivingmember, and means forseIectiVely moving said roller transfer mem- 1 herinto'bore registering relation with the bores in the roller spacer andinto bore registering re- 1 lation with the bores in a said rollertransfer support.

2. In a. device of the character indicated, a carrier for holding'a cageprovided with an annular series of spaced roller receiving openings,said carrier being movable to transport the cage to and'from'a loadingposition, a support above the carrier and having annularlyspaceddownwardly A extending'through bores in corresponding registerwith the roller receiving openings of a cage 1 therebeneath at theloading position, a roller transfer member movable on said support andhaving annularly spaced roller-receiving through file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,311,590 Bingham July 29, 19191,387,881 Bingham Aug. 16, 1921 1,517,574 Morrison Dec. 2, 19241,723,369 Pew Aug. 6, 1929 r 2,068,683 Ketcham et a1 Jan. 26, 19372,075,050 Nowinski Mar. 30, 1937 2,222,605 Carlson Nov. 26, 19402,235,084 Ortegren et a1. Mar. 18, 1941 2,255,626 Ortegrenet al. Sept/9,1941 2,288,023 Ortegren et al J1me 30, '1942 2,255,625 Ortegren et a1.Sept. 9, 1941 1,311,590

bore movable into and out of alignment with the roller transfer memberbores, means to deliver rollers into said loading element bore, andmeans for moving the roller transfer member into bore registeringrelation with the corresponding support bores therebeneath each timethat said carrier locates a cage at said loading position.

3. In a device of the character indicated, a movable carrier fortransporting to and from a loading station a cage having a series ofannularly spaced openings for receiving rolling elements, a loadingmechanism for inserting rolling elements into the cage openings andcomprising a support member above the cage at the loading station, aroller spacer member above said sup-- port member, a roller transfermember movable between said other members,'a rotatable loading discabove the roller spacer member, each of said members being provided withan annular series of through bores in correspindingly spaced relation toeach other as arethe annularly spaced cage openings, said loading discbeing provided with a through bore which is moved into and out ofregistering relation with the roller spacer bores and means for movingthe roller transfer member into and out of bore-registering relationwith the roller spacer bores thereabove and into and out ofbore-registering relation with the support member bores therebeneath.

4. In a device of; the character indicated, a

movable carrier for transporting to and fr'oma loading station a cagehaving annularly spaced through bores which are in correspondinglyspaced relation to each other as are the annularly spaced cage openings,means for rotating the.

loading disctobring its bores into and out of register with the rollerspacer bores, and carrier operated mechanism for shifting the rollertransfer member to selectively bring its bores into and out of registerwith theroller spacer bores-and into and out of register withthe's'upporting bores. JOHN s. GARDEN.

REFERENCES CITED v V The following references are of record in theBingham June 29, 1918

